Reference project Resch and Frisch

Industrial washing system in the bakery industry

Resch & Frisch Production GmbH, a traditional family business based in Gunskirchen, Upper Austria, is one of the leading manufacturers of baked goods in Austria. With over 100 years of experience in the bakery industry, Resch & Frisch stands for the highest quality, craftsmanship and innovative spirit. The company has been managed by Georg Resch in the fourth generation since 2019 and currently employs around 1,400 people.

At the modern site in Gunskirchen, Austria, which was put into operation in spring 2018, Resch & Frisch continuously invests in state-of-the-art production and cleaning technologies in order to fulfil the high requirements of the baked goods industry. In March 2022, for example, our specially developed industrial washing system for cleaning and drying plastic baskets, plastic containers and baking trays was installed to maximise hygiene standards and further increase production efficiency.

Industrial washing system for cleaning and drying up to 1200 plastic baskets and containers as well as 300 baking and cutting trays with 2 separate conveyor lines in the discharge area, ID 21-62429 - Click on image to enlarge

Customer requirements and tasks

Resch & Frisch Production GmbH had clear requirements for the new industrial washing system in order to meet the diverse requirements of the bakery. The flexibility of the system was particularly important, as a wide variety of wash items - from plastic baskets to special baking trays - had to be cleaned efficiently and hygienically.

Versatile wash items:
The washing system had to be able to cope with a large number of different container and tray specifications. The baskets and containers had to be cleaned in the standard Euronorm dimensions (600 x 400 mm), whereby different heights - from 80 mm to 320 mm - had to be taken into account. The baskets and crates were used in both perforated and closed versions.

In addition, various cut trays with an open short side (crosswise) and baking trays measuring 980 x 580 mm had to be reliably cleaned, with the baking trays being transported through the system with the short side (lengthwise) in front. A cleaning capacity of 200-300 pieces per hour was required. The catalogue of requirements also included the cleaning of the different sized facing rails for the cut trays in a separate facing rail washing system.

High capacity and space restrictions:
The washing system had to ensure a throughput capacity of 1,000 to 1,200 baskets per hour in the Euronorm container size 600 x 400 mm, with the containers being transported across the system. At the same time, the space requirement of the system was not to exceed 11,000 mm x 5,000 mm in order to be optimally integrated into the production process at the Gunskirchen site.

Separation of the items to be washed and efficient drying:
After the cleaning process of the containers or trays, depending on which batch is currently being fed through the Industrial washing system, the conveyor section on the outlet side of the system must be adaptable enough to allow the operator to influence the conveyor section in just a few simple steps. The items to be washed - whether baskets, plastic containers or metal sheets - should be able to be conveyed directly to the relevant storage area. This flexible adjustment should ensure that the material flow is optimised without detours or additional effort and that storage is organised efficiently.

Another important aspect was the drying or blowing off of the items to be washed. Both plastic baskets and containers as well as trays had to be virtually dry after cleaning. Only a low level of residual moisture was permitted. By using a powerful blower module, the items to be washed are dried evenly without affecting the working environment through excessive noise. The low noise level of the blower should contribute significantly to creating a pleasant working environment for employees.

Hygienic requirements and energy management:
The cleaning solution had to be able to completely remove even stubborn soiling such as dried dough residue on the trays. Special attention was also paid to the hot water heating via a heat exchange system in the main wash tank to ensure a constant cleaning performance with optimum energy efficiency. To avoid moisture problems and mould formation in the production environment, connection to a vapour extraction system was essential.

Project description and special features

A customised industrial washing system was developed and installed for Resch & Frisch Production GmbH that is specially tailored to the company's high requirements in terms of capacity, flexibility and cleaning performance. The system combines state-of-the-art cleaning technologies with a sophisticated machine design to clean various types of plastic baskets, containers and baking trays efficiently and hygienically.

Machine design and mode of operation

The compact washing system fulfils the required space requirement of 11,000 x 5,000 mm and is perfectly integrated into Resch & Frisch's production environment. It has been specially designed for the transport and cleaning of baskets, containers and baking trays in various formats.

The wash item transport starts via an infeed with a height of +1100 mm, which provides an ergonomically favourable working height for the operators. This height makes it easy and comfortable to load the washing system, as the items to be washed - whether baskets, plastic containers or trays - can be loaded into the system without having to bend down and with little physical effort. This ensures ergonomic working, relieves the strain on employees and reduces back strain in the long term.

The robust design of the stainless steel roller chains with firmly welded cams ensures reliable transport of the items to be washed through the system, while the narrow design leaves only a minimal spray shadow. A stainless steel radial fan is integrated into the inlet module to efficiently extract any moisture that is generated. With a length of 1500 mm, the inlet module is optimised for the subsequent cleaning process.

The system comprises several zones that thoroughly clean the items to be washed in a multi-stage process. In the pre-wash zone with a length of 2700 mm, the material is pre-cleaned with the help of a 4 kW pump (1200 l/min at 1.5 bar) and special flat jet nozzles. These nozzles are easy to remove and ensure that the water is evenly distributed over the items to be washed. An external box filter guarantees automatic dirt removal and ensures constant water quality in the 800 litre pre-wash tank. A small amount of detergent (0.2-0.4%) is used here.

The downstream main wash zone also has a length of 2700 mm and cleans the wash ware with a powerful 15 kW pump (2200 l/min at 3 bar). The items to be washed are cleaned at high pressure using transverse square tubes and flat jet nozzles that can be removed without tools. The 1000 litre main water tank ensures a sufficient amount of water, while a 40 kW hot water heating system optimises the cleaning performance via a heat exchange system in the main wash tank.

Efficient drying and blow-off

After rinsing in the draining zone, the wash ware is dried in the blow-off zone. Here, five 5 kW high-pressure fans with stainless steel air knives ensure that the material is dried gently on all sides. Thanks to the extended tunnel design and the low motor frequency, the blow-off zone operates particularly quietly, which contributes to employee safety and a more pleasant working environment. Following the 4500 mm long blow-off zone, the baskets and trays leave the system at an ergonomically favourable height of +1100 mm. The 2000 mm long discharge area allows the cleaned material to be transported at right angles to the conveyor system.

Special features and options

At the end of the washing system, the conveyor section splits depending on which batch - whether baskets, containers or trays - has just been cleaned. This flexibility enables a smooth transition to the respective storage areas.

  • A 180° curve with Scanbelt bone chain and separate drives for the inner and outer tracks ensures space-saving transport of cut trays and baking trays to the tray collection trolley at the end of the belt.
  • For baskets and plastic containers, a 90° gravity roller conveyor guides the items to be washed towards the storage area, where they can be removed manually by an employee.
  • The machine has two extraction points to ensure that vapours and moisture are efficiently removed during the cleaning process.
  • An optional powered roller conveyor provides additional flexibility when transporting the wash items.
  • Heat exchangers support the heating of the blow-off system, which further improves drying.

 

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Summary

For Resch & Frisch Production, the introduction of the Industrial washing system in the bakery industry brings significant benefits for both the company and its employees.

For the company, the washing system enables high energy efficiency and reduces operating costs through optimised water and detergent output. In addition, the labour required to manually clean the wash items is reduced, resulting in cost savings. The speed of the cleaning process increases productivity and ensures a high throughput of cleaned containers and trays.

Ergonomics are improved for employees when loading the washing system, as the sophisticated design allows them to work comfortably and without straining their backs. This reduces the use of force and minimises the risk of work-related injuries. In addition, the modern technology of the washing system ensures a clean and pleasant working environment, which increases general employee satisfaction.

Overall, the new washing system helps to increase efficiency and hygiene in the production process, while at the same time reducing the strain on employees.

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